The Effects of Ambient Particulate Matter on Human Alveolar Macrophage Oxidative and Inflammatory Responses

Abstract

Epidemiologic and occupational studies demonstrated that ambient particulate matter (PM) and diesel exhaust particles (DEP) exert deleterious effects on human cardiopulmonary health, including exacerbation of pre-existing lung disease and development of respiratory infections. The effects of ambient PM on lung cell responsiveness are poorly defined. Human alveolar macrophages (AM) were exposed to SRM 1649 (Washington, DC, urban dust; UD), SRM 2975 (forklift diesel exhaust particles; DEP), and fine or coarse ambient PM collected in Chapel Hill, NC, during the late fall (November) and early summer (June) of 2001–2002. AM were subsequently incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), or calcium ionophore A23817 for 6 or 24 h after PM exposure. UD and DEP markedly suppressed release 24 h post-PM exposure. UD exposure significantly inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 release after exposure to 10 ηg/ml LPS. DEP significantly suppressed only TNF-α and IL-6 release. Suppressed cytokine release may also be produced by reduced cellular cytokine production. Data suggested that decreased cytokine release is not produced by the presence of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Comparison of TNF-α release after LPS, PMA, or A23817 revealed that suppressive effects of UD are LPS dependent, whereas inhibitory effects of DEP may work across multiple mechanistic pathways. November and June Chapel Hill PM exposure stimulated TNF-α and IL-8 release before LPS exposure. Fine and coarse November PM exposure markedly suppressed TNF-α release 6 h after LPS stimulation, but appeared to exert a stimulatory effect on IL-8 release 24 h after LPS exposure. June fine and coarse PM suppressed IL-8 release after LPS exposure. Data suggest that seasonal influences on PM composition affect AM inflammatory response before and after bacterial exposure. Overall, delayed or inhibited AM immune responses to LPS after PM exposure suggest human exposure to ambient PM may enhance pulmonary susceptibility to respiratory infections.

Acknowledgments

This work was funded in part by the NHEERL-DESE Cooperative Training in Environmental Sciences Research, EPA CT826513, and U.S. EPA in house funds. The investigators thank Dr. Martha-Sue Carroway, Maryann Bassett, and Tracey Montilla (in the U.S. EPA medical station) for performing the bronchoscopies necessary to the collect macrophages. The investigators also thank Joleen Soukup, Lisa Dailey, and Rob Silbajoris for the isolation and culture of the macrophages.

Notes

The research described in this article has been reviewed by the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.